The multi-talented Kitten on the Keys sits down to talk New Orleans, Cannes Film Festival, red carpet shenanigans, skinny-dipping, Satan’s Angel, interpretive dance for the Lord, and her favorite moments in her performing career.

By: Divertida Devotchka   Photos: Larry Utley

First and foremost, major congratulations are in order for being featured with Cabaret New Burlesque in the French film “Tournée” which recently won Best Director for Mathieu Amalric at the 63rd Annual Cannes Film Festival! Did you have any inkling that the film was going to be so well received? What was your reaction when the award was announced?

TOURNEE won the Foreign Press Award and Best Director for Mathieu Amalric! What a gracious gent; he flew us back from Paris to Cannes so we could join him onstage when he won the award. He’s a class act, that Mathieu.  I had no idea what a big deal his film would be! I feel very grateful to be a part of it all. Honestly, I still pinch myself. It was a true Cinderella going to the ball dealie. Mathieu’s project had been in the works for a LONG time. He had been scouting dancers at Teaseorama , NY Burlesque Fest, and other venues- he did his research. When I first heard of his screenplay in 2007 I was convinced he was going to “borrow” the acts and personas of the cast of Cabaret New Burlesque and have skinny French actresses who smoke too much learn our schticks. But no- Mathieu is a true artist who wanted to harness raw talent. The French love the film with its mountains of inner turmoil. I have the photos to prove I was there in Cannes and it TRULY does not seem real! (I did a lot of OH MY GODS and WOWS.)

You walked the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival along with your cohorts Dirty Martini, Julie Atlas Muz, Mi Mi le Meaux, Evie Lovelle and Roky Roulette, correct? Care to share your red carpet experience with us?

Well, I had to double-Spanx my womanly bulges that night. (Felt like I had my thighs and lady bits in a medieval torture device. Ouch!)  I am so proud of my burlesque pals and I am very grateful I had this experience because nothing like this will ever happen to me again! We all had our own red carpet styles. I was going for a 1930’s bias cut look, Mi Mi was sophisticated, Dirty went Mrs. Roper, Julie forgot her panties, Evie was a goddess and Roky ROCKED it! We were very popular! The French Minister of Culture told us we were the hit of the Film Festival! WOW! We went to lunches on yachts and partied in a castle.

Did I tell you Tim Burton was the head juror for the Festival? I heart his blue-tinted nerd glasses and he hearted us. The Paparazzi were a bunch of swarming mosquitoes; they travel in packs like wild dogs! I have never seen so many HUGE lenses barking up my tree.  As award winners -we went to many fancy dinners in swellagant pricey hotels. On one occasion, after appetizers of salty peanuts and Pringles we found ourselves eating dinner next to George Lucas! (He has a wombat on his head.) Benicio Del Toro meowed at me for a couple days and took a real shine to leading lady Mi Mi le Meaux. I shared styling tips with Kirsten Dunst (she was in head to toe Chanel) in the ladies lounge and drooled over Javier Bardem backstage at the awards ceremony! I stared at Salma Hayek and marveled just how awesome her bodacious curves are (my geriatric punk rock boyfriend has a thing for her cleavage).

In the retro chic Villa where we stayed in Cannes I had one of the silliest ménage a trios times rooming with Evie Lovelle and Roky Roulette. I laughed so hard my sides ached and I do believe I piddled at some point. Our orange and blue Brady Bunch-meets-Evel Knievel wall paper and matching pillow shams hurt my eyes. I knicked a roll of designer chi chi hot pink toilet paper from the outhouse on the Croisette. (Don’t tell Interpol.)

We’re so excited to hear that you’re the “femcee” for the 2nd Annual New Orleans Burlesque Festival’s Queen of Burlesque showcase on September 18 at Harrah’s New Orleans. How was your experience last year at the festival? What are you looking forward to the most this year?

The New Orleans Burlesque Festival was one of the highlights of my performing year 2009. I am thrilled to be returning! Having a live band back the Queen of Burlesque Contest was sensational! I am a second generation burlesque musician – I started my career in burlesque singing and playing piano in a burlesque band in San Francisco so this means a lot to me! Live music is such a treat.

There are so many fabulous performers this year- and I LOVE hearing the legends celebrate this classic form of adult entertainment. I love the swampy and swarthy mysterious air of New Orleans. Plus I can’t wait to see Satan’s Angel burn the place down! Katrina? Oil Spills? Voodoo? Hell, Satan’s coming to visit! Between the 2 A.M. skinny-dipping with Catherine D’Lish and Evie Lovelle and the 24-hour access to chicory coffee and beignets at Café Du Mond, how can a gal go wrong? (I have a nudity and sugar problem.)

You have several songs featured on the soundtrack to Tournée, as well as several solo releases. How and where can our readers purchase your music?

Pinch me some more! OUCH! Yes, I am lucky to be in the Tournée Soundtrack. Kitten butchers Aerosmith and Radiohead! I have copies of the French Import CD available for $17.00 including shipping and handling within the United States. I cannot believe I have so many musical offerings out now! I have several DIY CDs available on CD Baby and iTUNES.

Being bi-polar comes in handy while putting together tunes to record- a little bit cabaret, a pinch of punk rock, some flapperosity and a heapin’ helping of ballsy blues. My CDs, “Kitty Muffins,” “(It’s Not A) Pretty Princess Day,” and “Salty Meat Girl” are all online. I have 2 other CDs but they are sold out! (If you bribe me with shiny things I can make ‘em available!) (For more info: kittykeys@aol.com, Paypal accepted. For our European pals, Amazon.fr and iTUNES.fr carry the Tournée Soundtrack.)

Unless I’m mistaken, you’ll be returning to France with Cabaret New Burlesque this October, correct? What other upcoming events and projects are you currently planning?

Yes, the Show Cabaret New Burlesque with the latest cast returns to France in October 2010! Delighted Kitty Hartl is bringing us back to France! Le Lieu Unique is a cultural center in Nantes, France, which is where the original show started back in 2004.  At one point some of the cast had a 3-month residency there so I hope to run into a lot of familiar faces! I am working up some new songs, like “Madame Marajuana,” something I hope everyone can relate to! I am having a super duper time putting together obscure and fun earworms to perform at a variety of piano bars in San Francisco and beyond. I am also working on the set list and busting open my piggy bank to record my next CD.

Please tell us all about your one woman show.

“Does This Piano Make My Ass Look Big?”is the title of my one woman show, full of songs! sequins! sass! I have had one wacky carnival ride of a life full of a variety of oddball characters and A.D.D.-addled adventures. This more-or-less autobiographical show is based on songs I have written over a period of years. My three female role models Alice Cooper, Freddie Mercury and Liberace help me out through the tough times. A magical litter box of HOPE flies from the sky and allows me to purge and bury my problems. Several videos portray the different stages in my life played by a variety of San Francisco underground musicians. Sample story lines include:

When I was young I was in an interpretive dance troupe for the Lord. We were called the Earthen Vessels. Our brown leotards infuriated the Church Elders. When the air conditioning was on full blast our budding nubile breasts were a little too happy for Jesus.

I was in a band called Sugar Baby Doll with Courtney Love. During a drug fest she tried to rip my jewelry off and put ice cubes up my rear.

I am a second-generation burlesque musician. My father, drummer Oz Ramsey, was born cross-eyed. He left home at the age of 15 in order to pay off a debt to a band leader who had paid for an operation to correct his vision. My daddy was the youngest guy in the jazz trio on the Midwest Burlesque Circuit, accentuating the bumps and grinds of the dancers. He has some truly bizarre tales that include nude women, trained birds, jokester musicians and some mineral oil-laced bird seed.

Your bio states that you perform regularly with various San Francisco Bay area circus troupes. How did you get your start in the circus show circuit?

My hustle in SF is to be as varied as possible-I consider myself a VARIETY ARTIST. I play several instruments in a bunch of styles and have a crazy wardrobe to boot! We have the world famous CIRCUS CENTER in San Francisco and I have been hooked up with different producers for several years. One of my close pals runs Velocity Circus in SF; I am the Ring Mistress, A Singing Life-size Barbie Doll, Accordionist, and I accompany contortion and aerial acts with classical piano. I often work with sword-swallowers, geeks, fire breathers and I stilt walk/roller skate and play accordion and ukulele- anything for a buck! Vau De Vire Society- a circus/performance hybrid, has hosted me a few times. We did VeGoose in Las Vegas and Outside Lands Rock Festival in a 1909 Belgium Speigeltent last summer.

I had the privilege of seeing you play piano for jazz legend Little Jimmy Scott at the Burlesque Hall of Fame weekend in 2009. It was an incredibly moving show. What are some of your most memorable performing experiences in your career?

Playing for Jimmy Scott was a religious experience- glad you enjoyed it!  Luke Littlel made that happen. I feel so lucky! I truly value my elders and all I can learn from them. I was an untrained music “therapist” in rest homes. That was such a cool job! Here is a quick list of some memorable gigs:

Always LOVE working with Baby Doe and Teaseorama.

I did PLAYBOY radio in L.A. with Catherine D’Lish and Dita.

Performing in Birmingham, U.K. at the Candy Box Burlesque.

Co-emceeing a Burlesque Show on a boat in Helsinki with Finland’s Queer Fear Factor Winner.

“Meating” Ron Jeremy at a gig while dressed as a pig.

Having Roky Roulette deep throat my chocolate pudding-covered  foot while singing my song about toe sucking called “Bare My Sole.”

I was tongue tied while interviewing Tura Satana on stage at Exotic World in the Old Days. Interviewing Liz Renay and Ricci Cortez was such a treat too! Calling those special ladies on the phone and chatting for HOURS is something I will treasure forever!

Going on tour with the DAMNED with Missy Malone and Mi Mi le Meaux all throughout the U.K. and Ireland.

Performing in The Wau Wau Sisters show in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Having the members of Mini Kiss slap my ass to my song “Leather Daddy” in France at the Isle De Nantes Festival.

Opening up for the scatological Extreme Elvis and picking up my pay the next day. (He is notorious for using “body fluids” in his shows.)

Playing piano and glockenspiel for Dr. Elmo (of “Grandma Got Ran Over By A Reindeer” Fame. It’s the #1 Christmas Song in the U.S. for 25 or more years; it beats out “White Christmas” all the time.)He still does not know the words or chords even though he has made MILLIONS from recording this one song.

Touring with Devotchka and Catherine D’Lish in 2003’s Burlesquefest .

David J from Bauhaus has me play David Bowie songs for him to sing to sometimes and he had me perform for his wife’s birthday. I was terrified of pissing off the elders but her Mom kept copping a feel and told me I had a nice “bum”.

Madame Mystere of New Orleans’ Fleur de Tease sits down to talk burlesque style diversity, inspiration, New Orleans Burlesque Festival, absinthe, bacon and Viva Dallas Burlesque.

By Divertida Devotchka

You’ve been a dancer since the age of three. What was your first experience with dance and in which styles of dance do you have experience?

My first memories of dance are of being in class.  I had wonderful teachers growing up; they made me fall in love with it.  We had a big recital every summer and it was something I really looked forward to, more than anything else all year.  The stage, the lights, the costumes, the dancing, the applause!  The bulk of my dance training is in ballet, tap, and jazz, with abbreviated training in modern, lyrical, clogging, hip-hop, musical theater, Irish step dancing, and belly dancing.  I love it all.

You moved to New Orleans from the Midwest in 2002, and by 2003 you had started your burlesque career. How exactly did you get started?

My fiancé and I were living uptown and our neighborhood bar was also a laundromat!  So we would go there to do our laundry and hang out and we became friends with the staff there.  One day the manager said she was going to start a burlesque troupe and wanted me to be in it, and I was like, “what’s that?”  Well, she went on to explain a bit and I thought “oh no, I can’t do that.  I can’t take my clothes off in front of people, but I’ll still come to the shows.”  So my fiancé was their stage manager and I helped with whatever I could and cheered them on every week.  After a while it became harder and harder for me to just sit and watch and NOT be onstage.  So I joined the troupe the “Steamin’ Mimis”.  My very first act was a tango inspired dance, and I only stripped down to a full corset, ruffle panties, and fishnets.

Unlike most performers who tend to stick to one style (be it classic, neo, etc.) you seem to dabble in all styles. What are your thoughts on folks who insist that classic performers should stick to classic burlesque (and that neo-burlesquers should only do neo?)

I think I HAVE touched on every style at one point or another.  If someone insisted that I should only do one style, I might think they were being a bit selfish at first, but maybe they’re complimenting me on performing a specific style particularly well.  I guess it could go either way, but I feel that it should always be up to the performer.  If you love neo, keep doin’ it!  If you’re comfy in classic, keep doin’ it!  Do it your way and have fun!  But since we’re all creative people, sometimes “sticking to” a certain style can lead to feeling “stuck in” that style.  My advice is to try each one on and see what fits, maybe all of them will.

In one Fleur de Tease dance you choreographed, you and 2 other performers do a spot on ode to Bollywood-style dancing. In another, you do a mash up of 2001: A Space Odyssey and Beastie Boys “Intergalactic,” complete with an alien dance-off. You’ve stated that your Darth Vader striptease is one of your favorite routines to perform, and you also have more classic boa/glove/gown strips to music like Ray Charles. From where or whom do you draw your influences? Do you find it difficult to come up with fresh and exciting material or are you the type that always has a million new ideas stewing on the back burner?

I’m definitely influenced by all types of dance and all types of music.  For me, most of the time a skit idea will come from a song.  Sometimes it comes from a specific costume piece, or a show theme, or a random idea that gets bounced off someone else, which is exactly how the Intergalactic dance-off came about!  Natasha Fiore (my alien cohort in that number) and I used to work together at a day job and we would throw around wacky ideas all day, and some of them stuck, like the space dance.  And I get inspired by watching my fellow performers; we have some really talented burly girls here in New Orleans!  Sometimes it does get difficult to come up with new material, I get dancer’s block, or I can’t figure out just what to do for that theme show.  But oh yes, I’ve got ideas that have been on the back burner for a while, mostly due to lack of funds.  But it’s okay, I’m hopeful that I can pull them out of limbo in the near future.

You’re performing at the 2nd Annual New Orleans Burlesque Festival’s Risque Soiree on Friday, September 17 at the House of Blues. What aspect of the festival are you looking forward to the most?

I’m really happy to be included in the fest again this year.  Last year I missed out on the daytime activities, so I’m looking forward to attending some of the classes and panel discussions.  And of course I’m excited to perform and to meet the other performers and watch them do their thing.

What other events or upcoming projects do you have in the works?

Well, I’m really excited to be heading to Dallas to perform at the Lakewood Theater on October 1st as a special guest for Viva Dallas Burlesque!  And I’ll probably be hitting the road with Tony Clifton/Comic Relief for a few dates in October as well.  With Fleur de Tease, we’re preparing for a big “Wizard of Oz” show, September 11th & 12th.  We’re gearing it towards New Orleans (instead of Kansas) so it should be fun, and we’ll be performing at the Voodoo Music Experience again this year on Halloween Day.  With the Storyville Starlettes, we’re having a show at the Shadowbox Theatre on October 24th.  It will most likely be a Halloween theme that could veer towards serial killers and/or scary movies.  And we’re planning a Facebook themed show soon, so look out!

Please share 3 little known facts about yourself.

–I once chased down a purse snatcher to retrieve my friend’s purse, even after being threatened with stabbing.

–I have love affairs with absinthe, Twizzlers, and bacon, but not at the same time.

–I can get any song out of my head by singing “Red Red Wine” to myself.  It works!

Burlesque Legend Wild Cherry talks New Orleans, burlesque revivals, and “taking it outside”.

By: Divertida Devotchka

New Orleans burlesque legend Wild Cherry grew up travelling the carnival circuit with her family, and her first performances were carnival girlie shows.  She began dancing in New Orleans night clubs in the late 1950s. “I just wanted to make a living, because I had not had any formal schooling.” explains Cherry.  Her stage name was given to her by a club owner who found it was befitting of her feisty personality. Cherry danced in various clubs throughout the French Quarter over the years and has fond memories of dancing, drinking, and of course, fighting. According to Cherry, there were certainly some clubs she didn’t stay at for very long. “I worked at some clubs with bad reputations- girls fighting a lot, and some managers even hit the girls. That never happened to me though,” Cherry said.  “Maybe because my name put them off, I don’t know.”

There’s known to be intermittent cattiness and drama in some aspects of the burlesque scene, but Wild Cherry says things are nothing like they used to be. “There wasn’t a lot of that catfight stuff. Nah, these girls were pretty rough,” Cherry said in an interview with Rick Delaup, producer of New Orleans’ own Bustout Burlesque and the New Orleans Burlesque Festival. “And if they did decide they didn’t like somebody, in theaters I’ve seen, they would take a rolling pin and a light bulb, and grind that glass up fine like a powder and put it in your face powder. They would put shoe polish in the eye mascara tube. They could get really rough. They didn’t play.”

I found the “crushed glass in the face powder” gag to be rather shocking, so when I asked Cherry about it in our interview, she casually replied, “Well, I was glad I didn’t use powder, for one thing! I used pancake makeup instead and I suppose I would have seen crushed glass in that.”

In recent years, Wild Cherry has performed in several of the Burlesque Hall of Fame weekend Legends showcases, as well as performing occasionally with New Orleans troupe Fleur de Tease, and she’s also done a comedic monologue in some Bustout Burlesque shows. She’ll be appearing again at this year’s New Orleans Burlesque Festival, where she will participate in panel discussions and sign autographs. I asked Cherry for her opinion about the current boom in modern burlesque.  “There are girls out there who are bringing back the classic style and I’m excited about that,” Cherry said. “There are troupes all over doing that now, thank God. But I’m dead set against most of the new Bourbon Street. So many girls just go on stage and stroll around begging for money. Most of them don’t even dance, and some of them may be good at working the pole, but soliciting money has no part in burlesque.”

According to Cherry, burlesque isn’t the only thing that she has seen change over the years. She was known for being “scrappy” and argumentative, and admittedly used to go looking for fights some nights as an outlet for her rage. “I don’t go looking for trouble like I used to. People who knew me before would definitely think I’ve mellowed out over the years,” Cherry said. She may be calmer these days, but the old Cherry is still in there, and is known to make an appearance from time to time, much to the chagrin of her family. “I haven’t been in a good fight in years, but I wouldn’t back down from one even today, doesn’t matter if it’s a man or a woman. A few years ago I embarrassed my granddaughter in Wal-Mart because I was threatened by two young women and I said, ‘Let’s take it outside.’ Of course, the girls backed down.”

Layman’s Guide to New Orleans Burlesque

By: Femme Vivre LaRouge

I can hardly think of two things that could hold more promise of a delectably good time than New Orleans and burlesque.  There is quite a lot going on in that fair city’s burly-q scene and we think you should know about it!  To that end, we have put together this concise guide of New Orleans’ foremost troupes and where you can catch their acts.

Although the New Orleans Burlesque Festival was formed in 2009 to showcase the more traditional side of the city’s (and beyond) best burlesque, there are fabulous shows in the area that are done in both the classic and neo-burlesque style.

Bustout Burlesque, produced by Rick Delaup (who we also have to thank for organizing the New Orleans Burlesque Festival) has been painting the town red since 2005.  It was the first show to feature live jazz accompaniment for the entire set and continues to do so, making for a truly electrifying atmosphere.  A little comedy and a great deal of glamour make this show a very authentic trip down memory lane by way of Bourbon Street.  This powerhouse group has had some great successes.  Included are the production, “Cointreau presents Dita Von Teese with Special Guests, in association with Bustout Burlesque” and giving rise to burlesque star, Perle Noire, reigning Queen of Burlesque.  They can be seen monthly at The House of Blues and other venues, such as Le Chat Noir, from time to time.  You can learn more about this lovely and lavish production at www.bustoutburlesque.com

Reverend Spooky LeStrange & Her Billion Dollar Baby Dolls, a rotating cast of local dancers and out of towners, venerate cultural icons, both classic and cult.  With a literary flair, their past “Church of Burlesque” events include ‘sermons’ on True Blood, banned books, and comic books.  They dance to “heal your troubled souls and uplift your yearning hearts” at various venues around the city.  The Reverend Spooky herself has been performing at festivals around the country since 2004.  She named her troupe as homage to a group of street walkers who, during the mid-twentieth century, would parade together in Zulu on Fat Tuesday, carrying bottles of champagne and wearing garters full of money.  Find out more about their fantastic affairs at www.myspace.com/billiondollarbabydolls

Another New Orleans favorite is Fleur de Tease.  This troupe keeps very busy, performing every Friday at Boomtown Casino for The Burlesque Ballroom, presented by Trixie Minx and Irvin Mayfield.  They will also be presenting The Wizard of Oz at One Eyed Jacks September 11 and 12, for the fee of $15, or $20 for reserved table seating.  In addition to several other shows listed on their calendar at www.fleurdetease.com they also share their tricks of the trade by hosting Burlesque 101 classes.  Directed by Trixie Minx (also a dancer), this is a true variety show, encompassing circus, magic, vocal, and aerial acts, as well as burlesque.

Slow Burn Burlesque has been igniting audiences with their sideshow panache and punk rock attitude since 2009.  While still paying their respects to yesteryear, they use modern music and “the dialogue of today to push the boundaries of the art form.”  Their cast of characters includes a comic emcee, magicians, fire performers, and of course, burlesque beauties.  Their upcoming extravaganzas include “Pretty Not Practical” on September 4th, at Howlin’ Wolf, for $10 advance, $12 at the door, $15 for VIP, and Roxie le Rouge Presents: The Appeteaser, dinner and a show at The Elephant Room in Lafayette.  For more information, visit their fabulous website at www.slowburnburlesque.com

One more group to delight your senses is the Storyville Starlettes.  Billed as the longest running burlesque troupe in New Orleans, they are named after New Orleans’ famed historic red light district and have kicked their glamorous gams up at several local establishments.  Learn more about them at www.myspace.com/storyvillestarlettes

Also not to be overlooked is Grindin Diamonds Productions, a casting company that can provide your party or event with go-go and burlesque dancers and female characters.  Explore what they have to offer at www.grindindiamonds.com

Jayme Foxx sits down to talk marriage, life in L.A., her hosting career, Monroe the Chihuahua, and Wu Tang Clan.

Interview by Divertida Devotchka. Photos: Shoshana of Through the Looking Glass Studio

Q: In addition to your extensive modeling experience, you also host a number of online/mobile shows. How did you get into that and how long have you been doing it? What is the best part about these gigs? The most challenging part?

I found my niche with hosting/interviewing after I moved to Los Angeles.  I was approached by a web-based TV show called Altitude TV (recently bought by Revolver TV). I went in and did some green screen tests for them. When they offered me the job, I was surprised and a little nervous. I never really pictured myself doing that kind of thing. I always had my sights set on modeling. But it was rewarding to take on a new adventure and challenge.  And as it turns out…I absolutely fell in love with hosting!  It’s an amazing experience to interview people who have accomplished so much, are so driven to continue to succeed, and who are so passionate about what they do.  I get to meet people and do things that people dream of … and I get paid for it!  I am one lucky girl.  The most challenging part of the job is scheduling.  Trying to line up the perfect window of opportunity for everyone to meet and spend a couple of hours whenever they are already so busy can be hard.

Q: You just got married in April of this year, correct? How’s married life?

It is going very well!  I was never one of those girls that really pictured herself getting married.  Whenever I met my husband it was seriously love at first sight. As cheesy as that sounds, we both dove right into the deep end. Six months after knowing each other he proposed to me, and a year later we got married! There is no one else on the planet I would want to be married to. He is awesome. It’s weird to see your future in someone else! I never could see past a year or two with other boyfriends (sorry guys) but honestly with him I can see forever!

Q: You’ve been modeling since age 12 and just returned to Dallas from a stint in LA. What are some of the major differences between working and living there as opposed to here? What made you decide to return?

LA will always hold a dear place in my heart…from a distance.  I loved living there! It was fun, exciting, and the opportunities and experiences I had were awesome!  Before moving, I traveled to LA quite a bit for work. But living there… you’re in the hustle and bustle of the city – constantly dealing with fake people, getting parking tickets for everything, inhaling smog…and the TRAFFIC!!!  It’s a tiny city with a lot of opportunity, but there are too many people fighting for those opportunities and they’ll do anything to “make it”.  Don’t get me wrong – I love California! I am blessed to have lived there as long as I did and accomplish what I accomplished in my career, but moving back to Dallas has made me a much happier person!  I moved back to Dallas last year simply because Brad and I got engaged and having a long distance engagement was not something we wanted!

Q: Your dog Monroe is featured with you in several of your photos and he’s obviously a big part of your life. I also saw that you’ve done some work with PETA. Would you consider yourself an animal activist? Why or why not?

Oh man!  That little guy is the apple of my eye!  Monroe is a Blue Merle Chihuahua! He is about to turn four.  I don’t have any kids of my own but I feel as if I gave birth to him.  The Peta 2 shoot was AWESOME. I was so stoked when they asked me to be a part of it. It was an anti-fur ad for Fred Segal.  We posed with live bunnies and did a small interview on buzznet.  It was featured in AP Magazine, as well as other publications.   I wouldn’t say I am an animal activist. I don’t have any plans to blow up any facilities or do anything extreme, but my heart is very connected with animals.  I don’t like abuse or animal testing.

Q: What are your professional and personal aspirations for the future?

Well, professionally I would like to continue to focus on and expand my TV hosting career. Maybe one day you’ll see me on MTV or VH1! In my personal life, I just want to grow old with the hubby, have babies, and live to be 87!

Q: You have some interesting tidbits about you on your website, such as the fact that you can play the saxophone, you don’t drink, smoke, or do drugs, and you can quote almost every Wu Tang Clan song. Care to share more about any of these things?

HAHA! Well the Wu-Tang story is short and sweet. When I was in 10th grade, I had a friend named Raul. He had this “W” drawn really big on his notebook, and I asked him what that was. He explained all about Wu-Tang and the 36 chambers. Then he pulled out his Walkman and played some songs for me. At the time I was heavy into old school punk rock, so it was pretty funny to see me jamming out to Wu Tang. I just really connected with the Wu. Haha!

As for the other stuff – I just try to take good care of myself. I’ve never been a smoker and I’m not really a drinker. I haven’t had a soda or anything carbonated in 10 years. I don’t do much dairy (no milk), and I take a bunch of herbs and vitamins to keep me healthy for as long as possible.

Q: Anything you’d care to add?

Feel free to check out my interviews with some awesome bands at www.RoyalArtistClub.com and my blog at www.RoyalArtistClub.com/RACblog

2010 Best Solo & Audience Choice Winner at Texas Burlesque Festival:

Angi B Lovely drops in to chat about titles, aerials, gypsies, Maury Povich, and disco camping.

Interview: Shoshana.  Photographs: High Art Studio and Benn Britt.

Catch Angi this month at Viva Dallas Burlesque on August 6^th, with the Lollie Bombs August 13^th and 14^th, and in September at The New Orleans Burlesque Festival!

Q: You originally came on the burlesque scene in Dallas, well…by helping to start it.  Tell us about those early days as a co-founder of the award winning and beloved troupe- The Lollie Bombs.

It wasn’t entirely glamorous in the beginning I must admit. We often performed on tiny, badly lit stages, mostly at bars and changed in storage rooms with no mirrors.

Trying to educate an audience that had no idea about burlesque was no easy thing to do, especially when most of us didn’t have a basis of comparison ourselves, because of this we took a lot of risks.  Some of our early work included botoh pieces, gas masks, beat poetry, drag queens, and guy members… anything went. Eventually we figured out a formula that worked, but there was a lot of trial and error.

Q: In addition to your work with the Lollie Bombs, you have also come onto the radar as one of the only aerial artists in Texas on the burlesque scene.  How did you first become interested in aerials and what was your training?

As a child I was always climbing to the highest point I could get to; I would often get stuck in trees, or spend hours on the roof. During recess I would spent my time alone hanging upside down and figuring out ways to flip off the bars. I never had any fear of falling, and enjoyed the comfort and quiet of being alone in the air. It was always in the back of my head that aerial art was something that I wanted to do. I took a few classes here and there, but it wasn’t until after my grandmother died that I made the commitment to go for it in a very serious way. She wanted to be a trapeze artist and had always wanted my mother to join the circus. I always wanted to be an aerialist too, so in a way I feel I’m living both of our dreams.

Q: Your aerials, hula hoop performances, fire performances, and work as a performance artist has taken you to all kinds of venues and performances outside of the burlesque scene.   In addition to burlesque, what are your other performance interests?

I love ballroom dance. I have a special love for swing dancing, lindy hop most specifically. I also studied musical theater early in my college career and still have a huge interest in that area.  Also, with literally dozens of disciplines with in circus art, I feel I’m just scratching the surface.

Q: What do you say to folks who say that your aerial numbers are not true burlesque?

I’m not entirely sure what “true burlesque” is to be honest.  This seems to be a genre that is continually reinventing itself. I do theatrical striptease with a gimmick. Some girls strip with a feather boa, I strip in the air. I don’t see how one is more “burlesque” than the other. Indigo Blue once told me “we can spend a lot of time talking about what burlesque isn’t, but I’m not sure how productive that is”. Like her, I’d rather focus my energy on being inclusive, not tearing each other down.

Q: Tell us how it felt winning the title of Best Solo at Texas Burlesque Fest, as well as being a finalist for the title of Performer of the Year at Hot Rods and Heels.

Winning best solo at TX Burlesque Fest was pretty surreal- I had not expected to even be competing at all.  It was only after  tying for crowd favorite with Gravity Plays Favorites Friday night and was invited back to compete Saturday. This was my third year at TX Burlesque Fest and I’ve never been included in the competition, only the showcase, so winning something my first year competing was an incredible honor, especially with all the enormous talent that was involved in this year’s show down. It’s a moment I will treasure for a long time.

I stopped performing and moved to Houston during the time that Burlesque really exploded in Dallas, so moving back I was relatively unknown.  Even the people who had remembered me from The Lollie Bombs might not have thought of me as a solo performer, so I felt I really had a lot to prove.  When I was nominated by my peers as a finalist for Performer of the Year it solidified in my head that I had been accepted into the community, and had made a name for myself as a solo performer.

Q: I joke that you’re a gypsy, but it is true that you come from a long line of performing and visual artists.  Tell us a little about your background.

My grandmother on my mother’s side was always drawing and sketching. My mother was a ballerina, and my mother’s brother is an actor, sculptor, puppet maker and Renaissance man in general. My father’s mother was an actress and a dancer as well, having minor roles in movies like Singing in the Rain.

Q: I hear that Maury Povich plays a role in your daily life- What’s with the Maury addition?

Kind of a guilty pleasure I guess. I practice aerials everyday from one to three, which also happens to be when Maury is on, so usually I’m watching Maury 10 feet in the air.  My trainer and I get a good laugh, it’s bonding for us.

Q: Ok, another oddity- disco camping?

Yes, It’s like regular camping only you bring your whole house, your costume wardrobe, and a big ass disco ball. Pants are optional, participation is mandatory.

But seriously, Disco camping is a phrase I use to refer to events I attend that are based on the 10 principles of Burning Man. Being involved in this community has definitely helped to shape who I am as a person and a performance artist, I’m continuously finding new inspiration and platforms to express myself through these venues.

Q: Artists seek to challenge themselves as a general rule, with so many performance styles under your belt, is there anything you haven’t conquered that you’d like to?

Oh plenty! I have a huge appetite for learning new things and like keeping my audience on their toes. Belly dance, hand balancing, and roue cyr are what come to my mind immediately. I’d also like to learn to play an instrument, something quaint -maybe the ukelalai.  I’m also interested in learning the production side of performance, like lighting design, set and prop building, costume design and sewing skills- really being a one woman show.

Q: What are your three biggest indulgences?  Three biggest fears?

I fear never truly mastering one craft because my focus often switches so quickly. I also fear the deterioration of my body as I get older resulting the loss of my ability to dance. The third may sound silly, but I have a huge fear of being by myself at night where I cannot see all the entrances and exits of the house- it can be crippling at times.

My indulgences are: costumes, snobby beer, and sleep.

The Layman’s Guide to Burlesque Classes in Texas.

By : Shoshana

Whether you were inspired by attending a local burlesque show, and want to hit the stage yourself, or you are just looking for a creative workout there’s a local burlesque class and instructor that is just right for you.  The trick is finding the perfect fit.

Dallas

Ginger Valentine uses her 15 years of dance training to serve as headmistress of Ginger Valentine’s Burlesque Charm School.  Novices and seasoned performers welcome.

Monday & Wednesday evening classes are held at The Ruby Room (Fair Park in Dallas) and sessions include “Bumps and Grinds” and “Classic Burlesque Striptease”.  You may buy classes in series, or drop in for $20.

Tuesday is “Burlesque Shimmy and Tone” at Move Studio in far north Dallas.

Miss Malicious of The Lollie Bombs and Texas Performer of the Year 2009 teaches “Burlesque 101” at 7pm every Monday evening at Lady of America Gym on Mockingbird at Abrams. Malicious covers everything from classic burlesque moves and basics to full burlesque routines.  Class is free with gym membership ($30/mo) or drop-in for $15.

Delilah Muse, nationally renowned flamenco dancer, has dove head first into the world of burlesque! Her “Get Your Sexy Back” Burlesque class at United Dance Academy caters both to new mothers wanting to get back in shape & expectant mothers looking to stay sexy and fit during pregnancy.  Classes are on Saturdays. $55 per Month or $15 per class.

One of Dallas’ oldest cabaret troupes, The Velvet Kittens teach a wide variety of cabaret style and burlesque classes at the Verandah Club in Dallas.  Classes and workshops change monthly.  Four Class Series is $60 regular registration.

Denton

Honey Cocoa Bordeauxx has been on the stage since age two.  She brings her expertise to the Green Space Arts Center every Monday night for Burlesque Aerobics.  Classes are $10 for TWU or UNT students and $15 for non-students.

Honey will also be starting at class at Sole Groove Dance Fitness in Flower Mound later this month!

Austin

Austin Academy of Burlesque’s headmistress is none other than Miss Coco Lectric, co-founder of The Jigglewatts and Hot Rods and Heels Texas Performer of the Year 2010.  Lectric covers everything from classic techniques with boas, gloves, and stockings, to advanced choreography and full routines.  Classes range from $10-$15 and are on a drop-in basis and are held at Galaxy Dance School and Lucila’s World Dance Studio.

Houston

Grace Truvant founded Lady Grace Academy, Houston’s first school of burlesque just over a year ago.  The classes are taught in series and students may choose from a wide variety of subjects such as “Classic Moves of Burlesque” (Truvant is a New York School of Burlesque associated instructor), “Advanced Burlesque: Creating Your Character”, and “Exotic Essentials”.  Fees variety based on studies choosen.

Painter Ramon Barboza talks artistic discovery, low-riders, and the untouchable goddess.

Q: What’s your earliest art memory?  Do you remember the first piece of art you created?

My earliest art memory was when I was in the second grade; I drew a picture of Elvis holding a mic.  My art teacher was very impressed and hung it in the cafeteria.  That was the first time people actually noticed that I could draw.

Q: When did you discover oil as your medium of choice?

I discovered oil as my medium of choice my senior year in high school.

Q: I recently bought an Audrey Hepburn piece at Viva Dallas Burlesque.  Did you use other mediums as well as oil paints on canvas?  Airbrushing perhaps?  Can you describe your method?

Yes, I do use many other mediums in my work. The Hepburn that you purchased was painted with spray paint.  The method I use is spraying the paint through a huge poster board cut out stencil.  This is the same concept of silk screening, pushing pigment through a filter to mass produce work.

Q: Local burlesque entertainers seem to show up as muses in your work often.  What is it about them that inspire you?

Well, the female nude body is the most common subject in my work.  My work glorifies the woman; it transcends her into a untouchable goddess.  So when I was introduced to the burlesque seen here in Dallas, it clicked in my head. The burlesque entertainers have so much in common with my work- strong, beautiful, confident, untouchable women that have so much power.

Q: You take commissions as well.  How does commissioned work differ from your own creations?

Yes I do commissioned work.  My commissioned work differs from my own creations a little because I am working with a customer.  The painting has somewhat of a guideline and is more or less a portrait; where as my personal work may be somewhat abstract and show more feeling.

Q: Why do you work exclusively in black and white?

I work exclusively in black and white because I feel that the pieces have more of a timeless appeal.  I feel that color is more of a distraction to what I am trying to get across.

Q: I know cars are important to you.  What’s your favorite car, what’s your current ride, and do you work on them yourself?

Yes, automobiles are a big part of my life.  I have too many favorite cars and trucks to name, but I lean towards muscle cars, rat rods, and any Chevy short bed. My current rides are a 2003 Silverado which is bagged; it’s my cruising low-rider.  My other truck is a 1977 Silverado; it’s my street rod weekend cruiser.

Q: What does the future hold for you personally?  And for your work?

I plan on learning more mediums and expanding my work to the next level.  I want to make huge pieces that are 10 feet tall that will make an even greater impression.

With summer travel season upon us, we decided it was the perfect time to start this Monthly Feature that we’ve had in our pockets for a while now.   We will feature a new Burlesque or Pin-Up Haunt every month.  Have a local legend of haunted theaters, celebrity burlesque ghosts, or the like?  Shoot it over to editor@pincurlmag.com we’d love to hear from you!

Burlesque & Pin-Up Haunts

The Palace Theatre – Columbus, Ohio

By: Divertida Devotchka

The Palace Theatre in Columbus, Ohio opened in 1926 and was originally a vaudeville house, the construction of which was personally overseen by Edward Albee, a well-known vaudeville impresario. According to the Palace Theatre’s website, from the 1930s through the 1950s, the theatre was the most active venue for live shows in the city of Columbus. Many of the biggest names of the era graced its stage, such as Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Louis Armstrong, Jack Benny, Glenn Miller, Harpo and Chico Marx, and last but certainly not least, both Mae West and Gypsy Rose Lee. In 1989, the theatre was purchased by the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts, known as CAPA, which also owns and operates several historic theaters in the city.

Internet research on this venue does reveal several anecdotal supernatural experiences there, but according to CAPA publicist Rolanda Copley, no one is aware of a haunting in their theatres.  Some Columbus residents disagree with this assessment. Nellie Kampmann has done extensive research on paranormal activity in the Columbus area and her book, The Haunted History of Columbus, Ohio will be printed next fall by The History Press. Kampmann’s take on the theatre is quite different from that of their publicist.

“I’ve never been able to warm up to the place myself,” Kampmann said. “I am psychically sensitive, and there’s always been something about it that has felt very cold and unwelcoming to me. It didn’t surprise me when I found out that it had a reputation for being haunted.”

According to Kampmann, the theatre’s ghost made its first appearance at a reopening party after CAPA renovated the theater. “The festivities included a séance to contact Harry Thurston, the magician rival of guest of honor Harry Blackstone, Jr.’s father. Instead of reaching Thurston, something unexpected happened. One side of the medium’s face suddenly sagged, and she had difficulty speaking,” said Kampmann. “The ghost that she was channeling claimed to be the spirit of a stroke-ridden man who had died in the theater.” Some believe the man had been murdered, but no one is sure exactly what happened. It is said that many people experience a “suffocating presence” in the balcony where the man was reported to have died.

Kampmann said that the cleaning staff has also reported strange happenings. “They use a vacuum cleaner that straps on like a backpack in order to give them more mobility when cleaning the stairs. One day, one of the cleaners was vacuuming when the vacuum stopped,” Kampmann said. “She checked to see if maybe she had accidentally yanked the cord out of the socket. It was still plugged in. Then she checked the on/off switch and found that it had been turned to “off.” She flipped it back on and went back to vacuuming.” This same sequence happened again, and the cleaner turned the vacuum back on and continued working. “Five minutes later, the vacuum suddenly stopped again,” Kampmann said. “She looked around and decided that the theatre was clean enough!”

Want more burlesque haunts?  Marilyn Monroe’s Ghost

London’s Dolly De’melza shares with us how her recent burlesque debut changed her life by helping her overcome bullying, an eating disorder, and find confidence for the first time.

Dolly’s Debut

Wednesday 16^th June 2010

It’s the day of my burlesque debut. My god, I am nervous. I haven’t been on a stage since my primary school, I remember putting myself out there and showing the world how different I was. It was then people started to bully me for being different and because of the bullying I hid, to fade into the background. I envied childhood heroes and how they shone through the crowd; I spent my time daydreaming about fairies and goblins living in a make-believe world, or old fashioned actresses being elegant and glamorous.

At home, it was a different story. I had a fantastic garden, almost like a storybook forest, with a cute vegetable garden (perfect for my vegetarian ways), and flowers of every kind everywhere, and right at the back my mummy had made me my very own little stage, where I put on my own productions to my teddy bears. I always got a standing ovation! I also had a massive dress-up box with the craziest costumes ever, including feathers, hats and heels, showing that some things never change! I also got to sit in the garden and listen to my mummy telling me tales about my great-nanny Iris Nelly, who is the main reason why I love the forties so much. Thinking about the strong, pin curled woman looking over me as my guardian angel always made me feel confident inside.

I spent my teenage years pondering why people work their way up the ladder of cool; whilst being physically and mentally bullied for being, short, chunky, alien faced, flat-chested, or whatever other  excuse possible. I soon sank into depression and developed an eating disorder. The bullying I got then was so severe that my mummy pulled me out and self taught me, even though she doubted herself she’s saved me, she’s the real super woman. We had some fantastic lessons, including one where we dressed as the homeless and went to a shopping complex to gauge the reaction that we got. The next day we went to the same shopping complex dressed as models, and the reaction we got was so much different, teaching me that I shouldn’t worry what people thought of me as long as I liked myself. Well, tonight I’m showing the world who Dolly is, and I hope they like me as much as I do! Oh help me, Iris Nelly!

It’s Show Time

Watching the other performers with my nerves racking and my knees shaking, I hardly noticed when a hand slipped into mine and helped me onto the stage, my mind going blank to what I had planned. When I looked at the audience, my gut just screamed ‘Hell Yeah!’ and I launched into my routine, altering and improvising some of the routine based on the reaction of the audience.

I loved every second of it! I got a huge buzz off of the noise the audience made. The flashes of the cameras showed that people actually wanted to take a picture of me!  My dream was coming true- and maybe one day this girl could be what she wanted to be: an alternative pin-up burlesque performer! My confidence soared, and I felt happy and comfortable being me for the first time ever.

After doing my routine, I climbed off-stage and searched for my mummy. When I finally found her, she gave me the biggest cuddle and her eyes said “You’ve done it, Dolly!” Outside, I was surrounded by the people I’ve been missing out on my whole life. I had finally reached the first step to my dreams, and since then I haven’t stopped climbing. I have found myself, and I like who I am, and now with more photo shoots and routines planned in the future, I know what I can give and what to deliver. I’m Dolly, and I’m here to stay!